I’m writing my first blog post for TechInSPED about some of my very favorite apps for speech therapy, excluding those specifically designed with therapy in mind. Before I jump right in, I’d like to tell a little bit about myself. I sign my paperwork Alison Belden, M.S., CCC-SLP and I just finished my 4th year as a public school speech-language pathologist. I got my first iPad during the Spring semester of my CFY and my life, ok, therapy was changed forever. Even though I was wildly against Apple products, I bought an iPad for therapy and never looked back! In case you’re wondering, I’m fully converted to Apple now, even down to my computer. So armed with an iPad, I religiously watched for apps to go free and downloaded them all. Fun fact: a few years ago apps went free for only 1 hour sometimes so you had to be real quick.

One of the first apps I ever bought was Articulation Station Pro on sale for $50 and I remember how mindblown I was that every single flashcard I needed for articulation therapy was at my fingertips. That was in February 2012 — Fast forward to now and I have acquired many, many apps. There are some that I use seasonally or because of certain students’ interests but other apps are used over and over. Typically, I like to use the iPad as a reinforcer in between stimulus items, although sometimes the app *is* the stimulus and reinforcement wrapped into one. Of course there is the obligatory statement that the iPad and its wonderful apps are not the solution to therapy – they are merely another handy tool to have around.

In no particular order, these are some of my very favorite “hidden therapy gem” apps and how I use them.

My PlayHome

By PlayHome Software LtdThis app is basically a fully functioning, electronic dollhouse. It is so much fun to watch students play with it for the first time and discover different features. There are several additional apps in the series that connect to each other now. For example, if you have My Playhome Store and My Playhome downloaded at the same time, you can leave the house and go to the stores. The apps just automatically switch back/forth like magic 🙂 As you might imagine, this is an open-ended treasure trove of possibility! They have a free, lite version with fewer rooms to explore. Target: following directions, asking and answering questions, functional life skills, vocabulary, describing, syntax, requests/comments/protests, articulation, social skills, object-function, verbs, plurals, etc
– http://bit.ly/YcB4oY

Lil’ Kitten Shopping Cart Premium – A Fingerprint Network App

By FingerprintThis has been a fan favorite since 2012. You are a kitten who was sent to the store with a specific shopping list. Most items for sale have three different prices so you can talk about some math terms – cheaper, less expensive, most, least, less than, more than – in a functional way. Lots of great conversation comes from deciding which aisle to find items in (categories). At the end, you check out with the cashier and you can get a small toy with the money you saved. I’m not thrilled with the update that added a shopping timer but overall the app is great for addressing the things I mentioned. The app was last updated in Sept 2013 so it doesn’t run as quickly/smoothly on the new iOS but that gives us a chance to squeeze in some more therapy questions while it’s loading! 😉 There is also a lite version (listed below) with 5 levels to try out.
– http://bit.ly/1KN5mHP

Story Dice

By ThinkamingoThis is just like the story dice cubes only on the iPad – no clattering or flying dice! I mostly use this with students at the sentence and conversational levels of articulation. I’ve also used it for story-telling, sequence words (first, next, last), and descriptive sentences.
– http://bit.ly/16DbjiR

Little ThingsÂ®

By KLICKTOCKThis is a “hidden pictures” game that I use mostly as a reinforcement. The object is to find pictures quickly enough to earn puzzle pieces and unlock additional pictures. I like it because it’s very engaging for all ages (sometimes I even take a minute or two to play when I need a break)! There is a list of pictures to find and I use directional concepts to give clues where the item is (“under the star”) and have students take turns finding pictures. Lightning rounds are a bit different. Instead of having the entire list from the beginning you have to find them one at a time (no skipping around). Although it is a timed game, I find that I still have time to discuss what an item looks like negatively impacting the results of the game. I’ve also had some interesting discussions about what things are used for, where you find certain items, etc.
– http://bit.ly/12uzYT8

Bugs and Bubbles

By Little Bit Studio, LLC.This app and the other ones in the “Bugs and ____” series are fabulous for the PreK + K population. They each have several different activities/levels that target numbers, counting, sorting, stacking, colors, etc. They are a really fun way to address fine motor skills too. My favorite activity in this particular app is Bowling because it is fun for all ages! What I do is have the group work together to get the highest score they can. During the students’ turn, they get to roll one bug and knock out as many bubbles as they can. Then it’s the next student’s turn. Quick and easy reinforcement!
– http://bit.ly/VCkhG8

Phonics Studio

By Innovative Investments LimitedIn a pinch, this app works for articulation therapy. I already mentioned that I have and love Articulation Station Pro but if you haven’t bought a good artic app yet, this is a free alternative. It is organized by spelling so consider that when picking target sounds. You can also customize this app by adding your own pictures.
– http://bit.ly/1g5GwUe

Scribblenauts Remix

By Warner Bros.Another favorite since I first got the iPad. I love this app because it is engaging for the kids and the problem-solving is great! Basically each level is missing items and contains some clues to help you think of what might be needed to complete the objective. There is also a “free-play” screen with no objectives. Language possibilities are endless… you could describe an item and once they guess it, they get to add it to the screen. You can also add an adjective to the noun (“evil dog”). Target: conversational artic, following and giving directions, problem-solving, reasoning, grammatical sentences, syntax, semantics, categories, object associations, object-functions, descriptions, pragmatics
– http://bit.ly/1aaF3nk

Little ThingsÂ® Forever

By KLICKTOCKSee what others say –> (2.99–>2.99) APP STORE – Editor’s Choice & App of the Week! METACRITIC – 90%! QUALITY INDEX – 89%! “This is a game for anyone drawn to, excited by, or nostalgic for the kid-like experience of hunting through simple imaginary worlds.” – Gamezebo 5/5. “Little Things Forever revisits a classic formula, pairing it with amazing visual design and simple mechanics that prove to be incredibly addictive.” – AppSpy 5/5. ” Fan of the genre or skeptic, there are few games to be found on iOS that are as worth the price …
– http://bit.ly/12SEzkq

World’s Worst Pet – Vocabulary

By Curriculum Associates, LLCPossibly the most underrated app of all, I discovered this app during my year in a middle school setting and it was perfect. The app is full of over 1000 Tier Two vocabulary words and tasks involving word context, word sorting, synonyms, and antonyms. It’s created with vocabulary from 4th-8th grade but I’ve used it in groups with 3rd graders, too – I just give them a bit extra scaffolding and help as needed. My favorite part is that the vocabulary is grouped by themes/topics so you’re not just asking about words at random. It’s aligned to Common Core and a must-have for any SLP working with 4th-8th grade students. Target: semantics, synonyms/antonyms, context clues, produce sentence given target word, syntax, pragmatics, conversational articulation
– http://bit.ly/I5Ehl4

Tap Roulette – Make Decisions with Friends!

By Laan LabsLet me tell you a secret. I have not had an argument in the speech room about “who gets to go first” during an activity since I discovered this app. It is amazing! I have each student in the group place a finger on the screen, tell them not to “let go” until it’s all done, then I touch the “pick finger” button in the middle. It quickly highlights each finger and randomly selects one! My students ask all the time if we are going to “play the finger game to see who goes first”. On occasion, I use the app as the reinforcement game and just keep a tally of who gets selected the most times during the session and call them the winner, which is just bragging rights in my room but somehow still a big deal! Sometimes they even get to place two fingers on the screen which is even more exciting. Anyway, this app rocks and has prevented many meltdowns!
– http://bit.ly/1KN7L5a

Lil’ Kitten Shopping Cart – A Fingerprint Network App

By FingerprintThis is the lite version of the app I mentioned earlier. There are 5 levels so go ahead and give it a try.

The final entry is more of a category of apps that I affectionately refer to as “wordless, open-ended apps”. These are apps by developers like Toca Boca, Dr. Panda, Bamba, Sago Sago, etc. I could write entire blog posts about each one of their apps – and plan to do thorough reviews of some of them in the future – but if you haven’t ever tried any of these apps, you must! As you can probably tell by the other apps I picked, I like apps that allow me to address a broad range of goals. The less structured and definite it is, the more I am able to manipulate it to meet my needs in a session. What I typically do with apps in this category, if I’m using for a reinforcement tool, is I let the student “free-play” while I slowly count down “5…4…3…2…1…TIME”. Depending on the student, I might make them tell me what they did (past tense verbs) when they’re finished. Either way, the kids like to work collaboratively on the same app and they get several seconds on each turn. I think you will discover lots of ways to use these apps. Sometimes you just need to be creative and think outside of the box a little bit!

Whew! Thank you to those of you who stuck with me to the end of my very first post. I know it was pretty wordy but hopefully you got some good ideas from it.

Are you an SLP/speech therapist, too? Maybe a Special Ed teacher or parent? What are your “hidden gem” apps? Let me know in the comments 🙂

So Much 2 Say – Picture Communication

By Close 2 Home Apps, LLC(24.99–>7.99) ★ 3rd place in 2011 Best App Ever Awards in Special Needs category for iOS ❝I highly recommend So Much 2 Say for the beginning communicator who needs a cost effective fully flexible and customizable communication system.❞ – Dr. Robin Parker on techinspecialed.com – http://bit.ly/wFQl20 So Much 2 Say is a picture communication AAC iPad app that is designed specifically for individuals with cognitive and language impairment. With flexible page layout options ranging from a sin…
– http://bit.ly/10udsx0

See.Touch.Learn Pro

By Brain Parade(24.99–>24.99) Includes 4,400 pictures, 2,200 exercises and access to the Brain Parade Community with over 4,000 lessons developed by peers. Visual Instruction for Autism and Special Needs. More than 500,000 users in 104 countries use See.Touch.Learn. to replace all of their flash cards. Recognition and Awards >> Editorsâ€™ Choice Award – Apps 4 Children With Special Needs (A4CWSN) >> 5 STARS ***** for See.Touch.Learn. – Smart Apps For Kids >> eSchool News â€10 of the best apps for education in 2013â€³ >>…
– http://bit.ly/ZgH1Eb

QuestionIt

By Language Learning Apps, LLC(24.99–>9.99) QuestionIt is an educational app for children with autism or other significant language disorders that provides systematic instruction over multiple opportunities to teach children what kind of word answers which type of Wh question. Activities include sorting words by type of question they answer, answering questions about sentences, and answering questions about paragraphs. The app uses faded color cues and errorless learning techniques. The data manager scores number correct out of opportun…
– http://bit.ly/14WPUkQ

Tappy Alphabet

By TaqTeq(Unknown–>0.99) Kids will love this simple app that lets them learn the alphabet and over 100 vocabulary words on a single screen! Phonics, colorful graphics and professional voiceover help kids learn more effectively. Kids can tap each letter of the alphabet multiple times to learn up to four vocabulary words starting with each letter of the ABCs, as well as beginning-word phonics! Features: Designed to be very easy to use for kids, even for babies! Learn upper and lower case letters of the alphabet. Learn 1…
– http://bit.ly/1DsU0pT

Montessori Math City

By Les Trois Elles Interactive(3.99–>1.99) Designed by teachers and Award winning app developers, Montessori Math City is an innovative approach to the Decimal System and Place Value ensuring that children learn to count up to 1000. Thanks to Montessori materials like the golden beads or the Seguin (or Tens) board, children will understand that ten units equals a Ten, twenty is 2 Tens, forty five is four Tens and five unitsâ€¦. until 1000! The app is built like a progressive game with fun City items to unlock in each level: cars, ferr…
– http://bit.ly/ZYxROB

Math Integers

By Yevel Belyavskiy(Unknown–>0.99) This application provides quizzes for practice with Integers (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division with positive and negative numbers) and Statistics(Mean, Mode, Median, Range). The results of each practice session are copied to the clipboard. Users can open an application like Notes or Mail and paste the clip into the right place….
– http://bit.ly/13fgUjE

ArtikPix Levels Plus

By Expressive Solutions LLC(Unknown–>29.99) 25% off in April to celebrate Autism Awareness Month. “It’s the best app with the most flexibility I have ever used for articulation.â€ Suzanne Berhow, SLP â€œI absolutely adore the app! It is so clean and crisp, full of content and options!â€ Angie Gorz, Parent â€œAll in all, a great app. ArtikPix Levels Plus is well worth the cost.â€ Mary Huston, SLP ArtikPix Levels is the next level articulation app! ArtikPix Levels has 3 engaging activities for students to produce their speech sounds at…
– http://bit.ly/1EBhpk3

Meet Science: Light and Sound

By NCSOFT(Unknown–>4.99) * Smart Apps for Kids’s Top Pick! – “It strikes that perfect harmony between being informative and entertaining!” * Fun Educational Apps’s Top Pick Science App! – “With this app, children can not only learn about how light and sound work, they can come to a deeper understanding of these scientific principles.” * The iMum’s gives 4.5/5.0 – “Best suited for children ages 10 and up, this app covers a gamut of information on light and sound in just 6 short books.” “This is one app that is packed wit…
– http://bit.ly/13i93Sn

ABC Gurus

By Colto(Unknown–>1.99) Parents, want to give your preschooler a head start in learning to read and write in English? Your kids will have loads of fun personalizing letters and turning them into crazy characters while they learn the English alphabet and phonics. Designed by a mum/teacher with preschool teachers, game developers and a childrenâ€™s special needs phonics expert, this app teaches the phonemic sounds letters make, associating them with their letter form, the names of letters and the meaning and pronunciati…
– http://bit.ly/1DZ6geF

OctoPlus

By Zyrobotics LLC(Unknown–>0.99) Introducing OctoPlus, a gaming app that makes math addition fun and engaging for kids. Based on a math adaptation of Turtle Invaders, a 2014 Gold Winner of the Momâ€™s Choice Award for Best in Family-Friendly Products, OctoPlus places you in an underwater aqua world where you have to battle turtles to score points. OctoPlus reinforces key math skills within an interactive gaming environment. With both a drill and challenge mode, childrenâ€™s math skills are improved based on their own individual…
– http://bit.ly/186Mnav

Multisyllabic with words, phrases and sentences for speech therapy and special need education

By Abitalk Incorporated(Unknown–>12.99) Multisyllabic is an innovative app that is filled with two-, three-, four- and five-syllable words sorted into categories ~ people, food, transportation, U.S. States, and geography presented in fun puzzle pieces that connect as touch cues for pacing. Multisyllabic words in speech therapy can be very challenging for children with articulation disorders, apraxia, and autism spectrum disorder. It is important to break this into smaller steps, beginning with one syllable, then two, then three, and …
– http://bit.ly/18OVbC7

SpellNow Year 1

By Education Curb Pty Ltd(Unknown–>0) ******************************************************************************* FREE PROMOTIONAL EASTER SALE EDUCATION CURB IS GIVING AWAY SPELLNOW YEAR 1 FOR FREE UNTIL AFTER EASTER. GET YOUR COPY NOW! ******************************************************************************* SpellNow Year 1 will transform the way students develop their spelling skills. The student will be transported to a colourful, creative and educationally relevant environment that they will love! Best of all, SpellNo…
– http://bit.ly/1HxCUbd

Crazy Gears

By Seven Academy(Unknown–>0.99) Kick your childâ€™s learning into high gear! *** 50% OFF UNTIL APRIL 9TH *** ABOUT CRAZY GEARS Explore a captivating digital playground in this tantalizing puzzle game! Children manipulate gears, chains, rods, and pulleys, to pull themselves through each level, which teaches them how different mechanisms affect one another when constructing a machine. Each reasoning challenge was carefully designed to adhere to the theories of educational technology pioneer, mathematician, computer scientist,…
– http://bit.ly/1bzucMx

Thinkrolls 2

By AVOKIDDO(Unknown–>2.99) Thinkrolls 2 is an enlightening logic puzzler for kids 3-9. This much anticipated follow-up to our award-winning, best-selling app Thinkrolls is molding the next generation of scientific geniuses and will have the whole family enthralled! Children must use all their wits to navigate 28 spunky characters through 235 levels of increasingly complex mazes (117 for ages 3-5 and 118 for ages 5-9). Whether fans of the original, highly addictive rolling ball platformer clamoring for more, or new to th…
– http://bit.ly/1E28BIB

Coosi Box : Creative Drawing and Share Imagination

By Yellephant Co., Ltd.(Unknown–>0) Coosi Box is app for sharing pictures with children all over the world. Draw in many themes and become heroine of your own story. Coosi box have many delightful things you can do, but most important part of our role is to raise your kidâ€™s imagination and pure mind. – Become a heroine inside your own made-up story. Pick a theme and use your imagination to fill the screen. It doesnâ€™t matter what your children draw. Let them draw whatever they want. -Share your imagination with kids all…
– http://bit.ly/1DsU0Gu

By Lighthouse Learning(Unknown–>0) Llama Drama: Lumio Multiplication is an engaging math app that utilizes fun graphics, sounds, and animation to keep kids interested in learning the sometimes tough subjects of multiplication and division. The first section, animal arrays, shows children how to split up and put back together sets of objects, or animals, in this case. This sets the stage for further learning in the app. The other two sections cover multiplication and division, in a way that is new and different. The us of fun and effective visuals sets this app apart. This is a free app, but it gives you far more than enough material to make a purchasing decision on whether of not to purchase the full version, which is available through one IAP. In settings, you can switch all links off as well, and IAPs are secured. The app has no ads. I would recommend this app for any child at the beginning stages of multiplication and division, or a anyone struggling with the concepts. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-12 22:01:32 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/XhqVKt

By Cupcake Digital(0.00–>0) Sparky & The Case of the Missing Smoke Alarms. This is a must have app for all children. Children need to learn the importance of fire safety and what they can do to help. This is the second book in the series of Sparky the Fire Dog and it is a great way for children of all ages to learn about Fire Safety. This book focuses on Smoke Alarms. Throughout the interactive book it will teach your child about smoke alarms, their sound, what to do when you hear a smoke alarm, the importance of setting up a meeting place and where the best places are to do that. You can either choose to read the book or play the game. The game works on fine motor skills as you fly sparky through the air to collect smoke alarms and batteries. The book is the most effective way for your child/class to learn with highlighted text as the story was being read. My only wish was that the text was a bit larger as it is hard for young children to be able to follow the words. There is also a video for kids to watch with a catchy song to help reinforce what they have learnt through the story. I highly recommend this app. There are no IAP’s or external links that I could find. ~Sharon Turriff on 2014-09-08 23:58:06 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/1uh4Xnr

By Locomotive Labs(0.00–>0) Todo Math – Complete Curriculum for Kindergarten and Beyond is the amazing new version of the Todo Math app! This full version of the app, offered for free until June 24th, has everything that Todo K to 2 had plus so much more! This app has content appropriate for children working at a preschool level all the way up to multiplication and division, and it is all done with bright, crisp graphics, fun animations, and encouraging praise. The app currently has 18 different math games, and 31 fun math missions! This app covers a vast amount of material, including counting, patterns, number tracing, addition and subtraction with and without manipulatives, multiplication, division, tallies, days of the week, months of the year, telling time, patterns and mathematical reasoning, and more. The app has these games offered as free play, in which you can choose different math games, and there is a huge variety in difficulty levels within each math game. There are also missions, in which the user must complete each from the begging To move forward. When you register for an account, you can gain support for multiple users, as well as receive progress reports. After this free period, the app will go back to offering 2 IAPs, one for just the missions, and one that unlocks the missions and all free play. So, this is more of a trial period of the app, so you can see if you want to purchase the upcoming IAP. This app is free for a limited time in the US currently, but normally has IAPs. I am somewhat disappointed that this more of a free trial, as it replaced my previous full version. The app is appropriate for those with special needs due to the visual supports and guidance from the narrator. There are IAPs listed, which are not yet relevant, and are secured in the parents section, and there are no ads. I recommend this app this app. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-06-18 11:15:35 ==> User rating: 4 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/14s2B5y

By Disney(0.00–>0) Disney Villains Challenge is a fun game that works on speed. You do need to be very quick and have great reflexes to play. If your kids get frustrated by this then I suggest you steer clear. The free version of the app comes with 6 mini games, 2 from each of the characters. In these games kids need to tap quickly to crack the lock, colour the castle quickly, shape hooks’ hook by tracing, tapping at the correct time to brush the alligators teeth, correctly following music notes, and matching shapes. These games work on such skills as memory, hand eye coordination, concentration skills, speed, puzzling, and more. A fun app for kids. You can purchase the other 4 games for each of the characters via IAP which is locked from kids, all external links are also locked from kids. ~Sharon Turriff on 2014-06-02 02:07:34 ==> User rating: 4 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/T6A1b4

The Adventures of Pan

By Hullabalu(Unknown–>0) From the creators of â€œPan: The Fearless Beriboltâ€ and â€œPan: Chasing the Keeperâ€ #1 Best Seller in iTunes Books in 38 countries (2013-2014) Featured in â€œNew & Noteworthyâ€ & â€œEssentials Apps for Kidsâ€ by Apple (November 2013) Finalist in Kidscreenâ€™s iKids Awards â€œBest eBookâ€ (2014) — Books 1, 2 & 3 — Designed for Kids Ages 4+ Oh no! Pandora’s parents are lost… and she must go on an adventure to find them! Join “Pan” on her journey through a magical world and help her ma…
– http://bit.ly/1B0A5Yw

Typing Class for iPad (Games)

By Permeative Technologies Pvt Ltd(1.99–>0) Typing Class is a one touch solution to practice and improve your typing skills while you play. Yesâ€¦This is the right app to get your typing speed and accuracy. Typing Class helps to learn fast typing with fun and makes you more productive. This terrific application comprises of games to learn typing, with loads of letters and words that challenge you to type and finish the game play. Play these game and Typing Class can improve your typing on your iPhone or iPad and itâ€™s really fun to le…
– http://bit.ly/XR58tn

ASD Tools

By Chestnut Apps(Unknown–>0) Tired of meltdowns, temper tantrums and hissy-fits you canâ€™t explain? Do you find it impossible to work out what your child wants? Are you trying to implement structure, routine or boundaries but find your child does not or does not want to understand? Does your child find it hard to complete a task? Do they have processing or communication difficulties? If you answered yes to ANY of the above questions ASD TOOLS can definitely help you 🙂 WHAT IS ASD TOOLS? ASD TOOLS is a flex…
– http://bit.ly/1BOOGIZ

IXL Reading HD

By Jarrod Kanizay(0.00–>0) IXL Reading makes childrenâ€™s education fun and rewarding. Children can participate in a number of reading challenges that are delivered in the form of enjoyable games. This helps the child develop fundamental skills whilst having fun and being rewarded. Each game designed by a childrenâ€™s learning expert is unique, and is designed to target a specific core skill that will aid the childâ€™s reading development. Children are also rewarded with â€˜Daily Streak Pointsâ€™ that are used as an enc…
– http://bit.ly/Rk10il

By PicPocket Books(2.99–>0) Penelope HD. This is a great story about Penelope who when she goes down for a nap uses that time to create her own adventures. Join penelope and her friends as they go on a fun adventure exploring the seas, finding hidden treasure, and have fun together. I love this story as it teaches about friendship, sharing, and about treasure maps. There are some great options at the end of the story to go through with your children to see what sort of things they picked up from the story. This is great for opening up discussions and for getting their opinion and take on things. ~Sharon Turriff on 2013-05-10 17:16:02 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/197wV7E

By Joshua Bury(Unknown–>0) Observer Pro – Astronomy Planner is an app for astronomy professionals or hobbyists that is great for panning the best times to see specific galaxies, constellations, or other astrological phenomena. Using the gyroscope in your device, you can set the app to recognize your specific location and plan out your next night night sky viewing. For astronomy buffs, it it is a must have. You can save your finds to favorites, view others uploaded pics, and much much more. if this is your passion, I would definitely download this app. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-16 20:33:14 ==> User rating: 4 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/1m9l5GA

By Eggroll Games LLC(1.99–>0) Animal Game Show – Whose Toes are Those? – Matching Fun for Kids and Family – Ultimate Edition is fun app. Users have to selected which toes are showing from under the curtain and selected who correctly. This fun app for younger users! ~Amy Jo Gordon on 2013-12-21 08:30:12 ==> User rating: 4 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/10BHHhq

By AT Studios(1.99–>0) Farm Toonz – I recently downloaded this app and really like it for the younger kiddos. No in-app purchases and it has beautiful clean crisp graphics. The music will be pleasing to the kiddos but can be turned off if needed. The entire screen is interactive. Find out fun facts and answer Where and What questions! What I like about this developer is that I posted an iTunes review on the price point and suggested .99 vs. $1.99 that I paid….same day they changed it (maybe because of my comment). Moral of the story….leave an iTunes review developers appreciate it. ~Jackie Bryla on 2013-05-13 18:46:23 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes
– http://bit.ly/10mBXMr

Peak – Brain Training By brainbow – (FREE) – Peak – Brain Training is a fun way to train your brain to operate at it’s full potential. The app requires you to register as well as putting in your age and sex to fully tailor a program to suit your needs. You are required to check off what areas of your brain you wish to train and work on. Each game you play presents you with a score and you can track your progress at any time to see how you are progressing with your brain training. Each day you are required to reach a daily goal and you can fulfill this by playing the games. The games I have played in this one are similar yet completely different to any I have played in any other brain trainer even though I select the same goals in each one. I actually had fun playing these. As you complete goals your ranking goes up so that the following time you play it is more difficult. You can continue playing the free version or with a subscription upgrade to pro. These IAP’s are not locked. There are also links to share your results via email. ~Sharon Turriff on 2014-09-17 23:29:28 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes – http://bit.ly/XlKYHb

Apper – Design, Create, and Build an App By Alborada – (Price Drop from $31.99 –> $0) – Apper – Design, Create, and Build an App. This app is designed to make it simple for those of us who are not coders to create their own apps! In this app, it is easy to go through templates, choose one, change it, add content, pictures, social media links, lists, music, lists, and so much more. The app takes you through the endless possibilities of creating an app, but in a way that makes it an attainable goal without programming knowledge. Of course, it takes a bit of time to adjust to navigating, but that is nothing compared to learning to code. If you are someone looking to create a few apps, and do not want to learn to code, this may be the app for you. I was impressed with the range of options in the app. I would recommend it for anyone looking to create an app on their mobile device. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-17 21:56:00 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes – http://bit.ly/XlKYHi

Raz-Kids By Lazel Inc. – (FREE) – Raz-Kids allows guests to access 5 different reading A to Z books, representing several different reading levels. In each book, there are buttons that allow the user to choose a read to me options, with word highlighting, a read to myself option, and an option to record your own narration, so the child can record themselves reading aloud. As excepted from this company, the photos and graphics in the app are high quality and the subject matter is engaging. Also, at the end of each book, there is a comprehension quiz. When you open the app, it asks you for a teacher log -in, but there is a button for going on without it, If you do currently have the entire full RAZ program or Head Sprout program, you can access all of your books through this app as well. I recommend this app, as it gives you an idea of what the full reading A-Z program offers. I really like the updates that have been made to by this the makers of this program. This is appropriate for early readers, struggling readers, those with special needs, and those in elementary school. There are no IAPs, ads, or social links. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-17 00:11:30 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes – http://bit.ly/18ZdNfm

Observer Pro – Astronomy Planner By Joshua Bury – (FREE) – Observer Pro – Astronomy Planner is an app for astronomy professionals or hobbyists that is great for panning the best times to see specific galaxies, constellations, or other astrological phenomena. Using the gyroscope in your device, you can set the app to recognize your specific location and plan out your next night night sky viewing. For astronomy buffs, it it is a must have. You can save your finds to favorites, view others uploaded pics, and much much more. if this is your passion, I would definitely download this app. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-16 20:33:14 ==> User rating: 4 Recommended: Yes – http://bit.ly/1m9l5GA

Fine Motor Fundamentals By Play Odyssey – (FREE) – Fine Motor Fundamentals is a wonderful app for young children or any child with fine motor delays. The app required the child place their finger in one spot and continuously hold it down and drag it to another spot, on the device, in several activities, including writing upper case letters, stoke by stroke and mapping out a path for a vehicle to follow. Also, in the last section. children work their fine motor skills and their hand eye coordination, as they tap farm animals as soon as they see them to get them back in the barnyard. This app was a peasant surprise. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for an app for fine motor skills. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-15 22:21:28 ==> User rating: 5 Recommended: Yes – http://bit.ly/1uCTPS2

Eggy Animal Stories By Blake eLearning – (FREE) – Eggy Animal Stories is a free app that comes with 2 free stories, Koala’s Big Day and Clever Clown Fish. These stories have vivid illustrations, text that you can adjust in settings for Australia, US, or the UK, and an option for read to me or read to myself. Each book also comes with coloring pages, a quiz, games, mazes, and more. The 2 books that you can sample for free, to get a feel for the app, were well put together, and the vocabulary quizzes were well done. Of course, kids will enjoy the games, and the reward stickers for completing books and quizzes. There are quite a few additional books available for purchase, and there is a link to download them. The link to download appeared to be unsecured. I did not see any other links or ads in the app. The available books and extras are of good quality, and I would recommend them. I would like to see that link more secured in the future. ~Angie Gorz on 2014-09-15 22:09:46 ==> User rating: 4 Recommended: Yes – http://bit.ly/1rhMkiI